Residents of the coastal village of Chellanam have decided to protest against what they called failure of the government to keep its promise to complete the first phase of the tetrapod wall project for coastal protection. The government had sanctioned completion of around 10 km of tetrapod wall along the coast, but the work has been completed only for 7.33 km so far.
Coastal residents under the aegis of Chellanm-Fort Kochi Janakiya Vedi has called for suggestions on a possible mode of protest on June 9 because, they claimed, it was exactly a year since Minister for Water Resources Roshy Augustine promised the residents that fund for the second phase of the tetrapod wall project from Puthenthode would be sanctioned, and that work would be launched in November 2023.
The Minister at that time was on a visit to the coastal village, and the announcement on the completion of the tetrapod wall project was made at Puthenthode, near Kannamaly. He was on the coast to review the work done on the tetrapod wall.
A spokesman for the Janakiya Vedi said the Minister had told the residents that the second phase would require ₹320 crore, and that the fund would be sanctioned by the government at the earliest. The work was to start in November 2023.
The promise was repeated later in October 2023 when the authorities promised that ₹247 crore had been sanctioned for the sea protection wall, claimed the spokesperson. The group has also invited suggestions from the coastal residents to record their protest against the government failure.
